Cats might rule the world, but they aren’t as enigmatic as they want you to think. Sometimes, ‘cat logic’ makes total sense, while other times, it is very counterintuitive. But when you spend enough time around felines, you start picking up on how their minds and inner worlds function.

Pet owners took to an online thread to share their brilliant but bizarre cat hacks that, weirdly enough, actually work. If you’re raising cats at home or just want to learn about how our Meowgnificant Overlords work, keep scrolling.

#1

I routinely pretend to chase them, and sometimes clumsily pretend to grab them, but I do a bad job, missing them by miles, pretending to be winded after taking five steps. Now, when I do need to actually grab them, they underestimate me and assume I am much slower and clumsier than I actually am.

Image credits: tiny_purple_Alfador

#2

Explain to your cat what is happening like they are a person, especially if it’s something that will upset their routine or going to the vet. They won’t “understand,” but cats pick up a lot more from tone than we realize. Always seems to calm my cats.

Image credits: bobbimorses

#3

If you address them only by their name they will know and respond to it, and can eventually come when called. I see owners say they refer to their cat by multiple pet names but they don’t respond or care about being called. it’s not that, they just don’t know how their name truly sounds, when they know they respond.

you can determine a cats attention by watching where their eyes, ears, and feet are pointed. from the bottom up are ascending order of attention. where they might need to move, where a threat might be coming from, what they notice but don’t need to address.

Image credits: fuschiafawn

One of the coolest things we’ve ever learned about cat behavior is just how important body language is when bonding with them. Especially what you do with your eyes.

According to research conducted by psychologists from the University of Portsmouth and the University of Sussex, you can actually build rapport with cats by using an eye-narrowing technique (the so-called ‘slow blink’) with them. It’s the feline equivalent of a genuine human smile.

As per the study, cats are more likely to slow blink at their owners once they have slow blinked at them. Meanwhile, cats are also more likely to approach strangers’ outstretched hands after they slow blink at them.

“It’s definitely not easy to study natural cat behaviour, so these results provide a rare insight into the world of cat-human communication,” said Dr. Leanne Proops from the University of Portsmouth’s Department of Psychology, who co-supervised the work.

#4

I have only ever done this with one cat so probably can’t really call it a “hack” but it definitely worked:

My kitty used to bite a lot, and she would just do it randomly. You could be petting her, she’d be leaning into it purring and enjoying and suddenly she would just flip and bite you.

Well one day she bit my finger, and instead of pulling away and being hurt, I just shoved my finger further into her mouth lol. She gagged and then looked at me with a face I will never forget 😂 she was in absolute shock like what kind of a freak does something like that lol

She has never bitten me or another person since! She still snaps at you as if she’s going to, but she won’t actually do it. It’s crazy, solved her biting problem practically overnight.

Anyway, success may vary lol.

Image credits: SweetnessBaby

#5

If i want them to do something i have to do it first. Clipping nails is one example. I pretend to clip my nails and then they all want what i’m having.

Image credits: TassandraArcticFox

#6

Whenever my boy cat that is only a year old and wasnt socialized properly before he met me play bites i pretend he just ripped me open and hurt me so bad and he gets very concerned and runs off. HIGHLY recommend.

Image credits: Fit_Usual_4652

Meanwhile, Professor Karen McComb, from the School of Psychology at the University of Sussex, who supervised the work, had this to add: “As someone who has both studied animal behaviour and is a cat owner, it’s great to be able to show that cats and humans can communicate in this way. It’s something that many cat owners had already suspected, so it’s exciting to have found evidence for it.”

Furthermore, Dr. Tasmin Humphrey, the first author of the study, said that when people understand the positive ways of interacting with cats, this can then enhance the public’s understanding of cats, improve feline welfare, and help everyone learn more about the socio-cognitive abilities of these animals.

“In terms of why cats behave in this way, it could be argued that cats developed the slow blink behaviours because humans perceived slow blinking as positive. Cats may have learned that humans reward them for responding to slow blinking. It is also possible that slow blinking in cats began as a way to interrupt an unbroken stare, which is potentially threatening in social interaction.”

#7

Blow on their nose when you give a pill so they swallow. Seriously a game changer!

Image credits: Reddit_Befuddles_Me

#8

If your smoke detector goes off, call your cat to you and give them a treat. That way if the detector goes off in a fire, you have trained the cat where to go so you can find them easily.

Image credits: saltedkumihimo

#9

When I’m eating something I know my cat doesn’t actually want but they are sniffing at it like they do I pretend to offer it to them. Then they smell closer and decide no they don’t want it, but they appreciate the offer. 

Also pine pellets are a billion times better than litter and less expensive .

Image credits: One-Method-4373

Which of these cat hacks genuinely surprised you the most, dear Pandas? What did your pets at home think of them when you tried them out?

What are some weird but brilliant pet hacks you know that you’d love to share with other animal lovers? Let us know all about it in the comments below. And tell your pets we said ‘hi!’

#10

Hang a disco ball near a sunny window, when the light and wind hits it some cats will go crazy for the light spots it makes around the room. It’s like an analog auto laser.

Also, get a transparent bread box to hold toilet paper if your cat is a TP shredder. You can discover which of your guests have cats because when they come out of the bathroom they’ll either ask why your toilet paper is in a bread box or say “that’s genius, I need to get one of those“. But confusion as to its purpose aside, guests can always find the TP.

Image credits: Feral_doves

#11

I sing to my cat while I clip her nails. Doesn’t have to be a real song, sometimes I just sing about her or about what I need to do that day. She just kinda sits there all pathetic like but she doesn’t try to fight or get away. Then when I’m done, I just kiss the top of her head and release and she hops out.

Image credits: pxystx89

#12

When bathing your cat in the tub, place a nonslip mat or something they can step on. It’s bad enough they are getting wet, but not having purchase adds to the anxiety.

I have bathed many cats in my lifetime and short of getting into the tub with clothes on and letting them cling to me in desperation, I found that secure footing makes a huge difference. Instead of “I’m going to drown!!”, it’s more “I’m wet and severely unhappy.”.

Image credits: loquat

#13

If they like to get up on the table/desk when you’re trying to work there, give them a shoebox to sit in. Might not work for every cat but it worked for mine — she would sit in her box and out of my stuff!

Image credits: butterflygirl1980

#14

If I can’t find either of my roomies, I will play Instagram videos of meowing cats. They come out of hiding to see who is in their home.

Image credits: Speedracer_64

#15

During playtime, move toys in a big arc rather than a straight line. If they turn their head, they are actually interested.

If they are refusing to drink fresh water, drink (your own) loudly or make slurping noises. This usually works.

Image credits: escargotini

#16

Always pick them up and carry them to their food. They come to expect it and it gradually turns them into very affectionate cuddle cats that always want to be held and picked up. Works well with aloof cats that don’t like being touched.

Image credits: BerylReid

#17

I use their natural fastidious nature against them if they need meds. I always ask the vet if there’s a liquid option then use a dropper to administer the medication on their paws. They can’t help but lick it off. Game changer with cranky cats.

Image credits: Grand_Elderberry_564

#18

My cats used to think that one corner of one room in our house is a toilet, even though we never kept a sand box there. It’s just plain floor tiles. They do have several large sand boxes elsewhere, all cleaned every day and sand replenished regularly. Yet for some reason, that corner was a toilet too.

I’ve cleaned it many times (including scrubbing it with soap and disinfectant), perfumed it, left bits of fruit that cats allegedly don’t like, nothing helped.

What did finally help was, after cleaning it yet again, putting there a small cat bed. Apparently, cat logic is, if a place is for sleeping, it’s not for pooping (which does make sense).

Image credits: DigiMagic

#19

Maybe not strange but NEVER feed your cat when you get out of bed. Unless you’ve been in a coma it’s never that urgent.

Image credits: whatdoidonowdamnit

#20

Find a phrase and use it every time you’re done doing something they hate. Ex: claw trim or vet trips.

I use “all done” and they physically relax after knowing I won’t let anyone mess with them.

Edit: use their crate as a safe space for them. Then they have a safe space for transport.

Image credits: Jkerb_was_taken

#21

Don’t know if this counts as a hack but I had a dog. Then I got a cat. Dog taught cat what was and wasn’t acceptable behavior. Several generations of cats later and long after my dog has passed, they still know the rules.

TL;DR: have a well-trained dog to train your cats. 🙃.

Image credits: Icy-Spirit-5892

#22

I guess this isn’t strange, but because I love cats, and I have kids, I very rarely buy new furniture, at least nothing expensive. It really is a lot easier tolerating zoomies and occasional scratching if nothing expensive is getting destroyed.

Rugs are small and light enough to wash in the shower, or simply put in the washing machine. Keep plants away from the cats, a lot less hassle.

First and foremost, just relax. Forget a totally spotless home (goes for having kids as well, lol), and just enjoy.

Image credits: ToeInternational3417

#23

I adopted an adult cat, who was terrified of me and hid behind furniture for months. Very slowly, over time he would come out of hiding and we could both be in the same room without him running to hide so I would turn my back to him and shuffle past, that way he would know that I am not trying to mess with him at all because I’m not even facing him. I talked in a calm tone (no baby voice) and said “it’s okay bud, I’m not gonna mess with you”. I also made it a point to not look at him when I was moving about the apartment, again to let him know that he’s not even on my radar and I’m not trying to mess with him. Remember, when cats feel threatened, their eyes are wide, they don’t blink, and they keep their eyes on whatever they think is threatening them. If you keep making eye contact with the cat and staring back at it, it may interpret that as you actually being a threat. Over time it worked and he realized that he is allowed to be up and milling about, and I won’t mess with him. Now he is a very happy and well adjusted man.

Image credits: Rumple-_-Goocher

#24

Greeting my cats with an extended finger and letting them nose-boop it. It’s a low impact way to mimic a natural cat greeting and builds trust.

Image credits: Bluedieselshepherd

#25

Training cats to come by shaking an Altoids tin full of treats. The sound is louder and distinctive, and if they ever get outside accidentally in my city neighborhood, they hear the sound over traffic noises. We have an Altoids tin full of Temptations by each door for emergencies.

Image credits: PavicaMalic

#26

Regular catnip and play sessions helps keeps them happy and healthy. Also, views out windows and spots to sunbathe keeps them interested and content.

Image credits: Ophelia-Rass

#27

When the toilet paper roll is empty I throw it to them. They chase it around, scratch and rip it, and by the time they are done playing a new one is ready. Same with paper towel rolls.

Image credits: BlondieBabe436

#28

My cat LOVES it when I slide the dry food across the floor, once piece at a time. We started out doing this with treats, and now it’s all dry edible things. It’s like a very short chase with an immediate reward. She loves it ridiculously much.

When I cat-sit for my neighbors, I do the same for their evening feeding, which is dry food. They also LOVE it, so it’s not just my (ahem, orange) cat.

Image credits: yuricat16

#29

My weird win: a ping pong ball in the empty bathtub. No lost toys, quiet, and it turns into a mini arena for 20 minutes. Runner up is a tiny smear of Churu on a lick mat during nail trims. Statue mode unlocked.

Image credits: Infamous_Car_6286

#30

I have one cat that is super squirmy when it comes to nail trims. I bite (gently!) his scruff (more like put the scruff in my mouth and apply a little pressure) and he stops wiggling. I’ve tried just scuffing him lightly with my hand but it doesn’t seem to work unless I use my mouth. Once his nails are cut, he gives me an odd look but usually hangs around for pets and treats.

Image credits: Fancy_Disaster_829

#31

So, my cat Aria (Huns Buns of the Bunsly Bunz) asks to receive extra love while she eats. She’ll meow at me and give me the “get over here” eyes until I begin petting her, then she’ll purr very loudly and begin eating. I don’t know why she needs/wants extra love at meal time, but it works for us and keeps her from acting out in other ways lol.

#32

We feed our cats on a schedule but a strange one. They eat their first meal between 3:30-4:00 pm and then their second at 8:00pm. I was at my wits end with them being nighttime terrors (which I know is instinctual hunting time for them) so my thought was to feed them closer to bed time to quell the witching hour and it worked for us. Don’t get me wrong, they still have their moments, but it’s been a vast improvement. We do not ask anyone watching them to stick to this, we just make it work with the sitter’s schedule.

#33

Put em in a box or paper bag and just carry them around sometimes. They love the adventure. Better yet, put them in a cardboard box and close it, put the open end on the ground. They will have a blast trying to “escape” lol.

#34

Ever since she was a kitten I fed her at random points during the day, twice a day. Never the same time day to day to keep her on her toes and to keep her off of a “routine” so she doesn’t yell at me. The only time she meows at me about breakfast or dinner is when she knows I’ve genuinely forgotten to feed her (which is rarely but does happen sometimes because it’s not a strict schedule) 😂
I also made chasing her a game, where I make silly noises while we sprint around the house getting eachother so she knows it’s a game – she loves it and usually will turn around and chase me back.

#35

Bird and nature videos on youtube. All of our cats zen out to the sounds.

Also, suction cup hummingbird feeders on the windows for the exact opposite effect. Burns all the crazy energy of our younger baby and gets our old boy excited and eekeekeeking which keeps him young. All around win.

#36

I have a large cup screwed onto my coffee table. This is so I can have a secure cup holder, because my cat’s favorite hobby is tipping cups, the fuller the better. When I first screwed it down he tried to tip it a few times, but since he couldn’t he decided that all cups on that table are unable to be tipped. Now I have one whole safe surface I can set drinks on!

#37

Med giving hack- get med compounded into a liquid. My boy hated the meat ones. I got marshmallow. I draw it up, mix it in tablespoon into the smallest amount of peanut butter that gets all liquid. MAKE SURE IT DOES NOT HAVE XYLITOL, THAT IS TOXIC TO CATS. Using a finger, wipe it into their fur on the upper front of a leg. They hate being dirty and will lick it off in the process of cleaning. I use a gloved hand as I found that maximized peanut butter transfer.

Id tried everything. No food, not even a high value treat worked, cat would ignore completely. Tried different flavors compounded into a liquid- no go. My boy isnt keen on being handled generally, so restraint is tough, plus Ive never pilled a cat before. In the past Id been able to syringe liquid into him but once I left the cap on by mistake- it hit him in the mouth while I tried to give the med, so hes done the second Im coming towards him with one. He doesnt love “being peanut buttered” and I cant hesitate too much or he will hide- but he reluctantly allows it and always eats it. And also doesnt act distressed or scared of me after!

#38

Blanket jail: when one cat gets a little too rambunctious and won’t stop pestering another one, toss a blanket onto them. Instant calm.

#39

Sunbeams created when you open a windowed door, usually between 9-11 am. Of course, it helps if the sun hits the door in the right way. 😃 And you have to be there to move the door back and forth, but it’s a hilarious chaser for most cats!

#40

One of my cats needs more moisture in her diet. So I got some cat bone broth and I mix that with churu and every few nights we have kitty cocktail hour. She laps it up as long as I don’t overdo it on the bone broth lol. I am going to try to find some little shallow cocktail glasses for this purpose so kitty cocktail hour can be a bit more luxurious. There may also be photos and bow ties….

#41

This was sort of an accident, but I bathe our dog in the shower ~once a week (she gets dirty at the park). Because she’s very nervous, I started making an ordeal out of it with a lot of praise, a whole routine, and me and my fiancé gather around her when she’s out of the shower and towel her off and tell her she’s the cleanest dog in the whole world, etc.

Obviously, the cat is very interested in this and also loves towels. Once I’m finished with the dog, she walks herself into the shower and I’m able to either pretend to wash her or actually wash her (useful if she’s got a stinky butt) and then we repeat the ordeal with the praise and the towels and the attention and announce we have “the cleanest pets on planet Earth.”.

#42

Getting a kitten for my 6 year old void was the best decision we have ever made.

My cat has always lived with just me (with and without my partner) or with dogs. She was found as a kitten by a woman doing TNR with her local feral colony. She said the rest of her litter didn’t survive.

I didn’t know about single kitten syndrome at the time. She became very attached to me, but I think she started to see me as a sibling. She nips a lot. It’s frustrating lol. I can usually divert her with a toy and try to provide plenty of stimulation, but she will still sometimes run after me and bite my ankles.

Now that she has a kitten to play with and teach the rules to, she doesn’t nip as much. She seems much happier, even if she pretends she doesn’t care for him when they’re not playing.

#43

When my cat was a kitten, he used to want to play-fight with my hand, which could be painful and is not a good habit. But a friend gave me a dinosaur glove puppet. I would put it on and he could enjoy fighting with the dinosaur.

#44

My spicy orange boy doesn’t love getting his nails trimmed. He just pulls his feet away too quick. Life hack: I hold him like a baby and sit outside on my deck chair. He is mesmerized by all the sights and smells, and knows mom has to hold him when he’s out there. So he just tolerates it for some time outside. Then, when we finish, we continue to sit out there and watch the birds and bugs. Win win!

#45

If you want Cat A to come to you, call Cat B. Or call the dog over.

Their jealous hearts will be there in a second.

#46

My 15 year old came from a hoarding situation and didn’t have great litter box habits, she also has IBD. She’s been checked out by the vet numerous times, but continued to pee outside of the litter box. I finally ended up getting her a puppy pad tray with potty pads and she’s been using it consistently with no messes. So many different types of litter, litter box types, placements etc, and she likes the puppy pads. Cats are weird, lol.

#47

My cats also know their name. i call them all the time so they respond to when being called most of the time.

if i want them to follow me (like if we need to go back upstairs), i call them and pretend that i am playing hunt with them. i would hide behind the wall or peak with my one eye.. then, they would run and chase me to the bedroom.

if i need them to climb up to me for grooming sessions, the sound of their feather wand toy is the key. ;).

#48

I bought an automatic feeder and programmed it to dispense small amounts throughout the day so my cat doesn’t associate me with food. 💯.

#49

One hack I didn’t hear. If meeting a shy cat you don’t know, like a friends cat, lay down on the ground, not just sit on the ground. I prop up on my elbow. Many cats who are wary of people will realize you can’t be much of a threat like this so they’ll relax. Sometimes they approach me from the back or side to sniff.

#50

If they go into a room you don’t want them in, close the door. They’ll be begging to come out pretty quickly lol.

#51

Play music around your cat and take note how they react to different genres. For some strange reason, my neurotic, jumpy scaredy cat is a big fan of metal music and she tends to calm down a lot faster with it playing in the background. On the other hand, she hates anything lyrically heavy because she thinks there’s a person she can’t see or smell near her and it freaks her out.

#52

Human ionic brushes. I got sick of cleaning the removable head of mine and got one for my cat. It’s battery operated and it removes mats that otherwise might need to be cut out, or it stops them from forming, and lasts longer between brushings and decreases the emotional burden of brushing time for both of us.

#53

In the morning my dog wants to go out, we have this little ritual where he sits and stares at me until I get up, then he cavorts a bit, we head to the door.

When he’s done he barks to come in and heads for the cupboard where his treats are. I always ask if he wants a treat and he says yes.

The cat comes over because she’s jealous. So one day, I respond to her meow and give her a cat treat. She stands on the arm of the arm of the couch, I put the treat in front of her feet.

I did this ONE time. Now every morning when the dog gets his treat, she gets in her same spot to get her treat.

Never tell me cats can’t be trained. Or maybe the owners are the ones being trained.

#54

Meat paste. Take a scoop out the jar, pop whatever pill they need to take into the clump of it, then roll it into a ball. The cats wolf it in one bite, think its the best treat ever. Discovered this one a year or two ago and it’s never not worked.

#55

If you want them to take a pill, get one of those cat yoghurts in a tube. Snip off the top of the wrapper, and pop the pill in. Then when you squeeze out the yoghurts, it’ll be the tablet coated in the yoghurt and let the cat lick it straight from the tube. They end up taking the tablet without realizing.

#56

When my boy was a tiny kitten… brought to us by an old tom cat…to get him ready to go to sleep alone in his private (big) closet I would sing Lullaby by Billy Joel every night after he had his kitten milk. Then I started playing it on YouTube. He is now about 9 months old and he still comes flying if I play Lullaby by Billy Joel. I think each cat should have their own theme song.

#57

When it’s bedtime and he has late night energy/zoomies, I give him a treat puzzle. I just sprinkle a few pieces of dry food in the compartments.

He loves his puzzle and is a pro in getting the goodies. I figure he just needs something to do, needs enrichment. The puzzle keeps his attention and I think makes him less likely to be a bad boy when I’m sleeping. I already go to sleep really late (3am), so I have no idea if the puzzle fully prevents him from being bad. And I sleep with ear plugs lol. But every day when I wake up, every piece of kibble is gone.

I actually got this tip from a commenter! Someone suggested I give him a treat puzzle at bedtime so he doesn’t attack my feet when I turn the lights off.

#58

I would slip a thin sock over her head so I could clip her nails. Worked. Didn’t hurt her.

#59

A bucket of water and a washcloth for bath time doesn’t scare them one bit like running water or a bathtub does, at worst they get annoyed.

#60

Putting water dish in a separate room from food resulted in cats drinking more water.

#61

I bought my 4month old kittens a rabbit pelt. It’s the best $10 I’ve ever spent. I have never seen a cat go that crazy over a toy. They absolutely love it.

#62

Give him a stool in the middle of the kitchen. Let him sit and show him stuff to sniff. Keeps him off the counter while cooking.

#63

I don’t know if this is a strange hack, but we have two girls with distinctively different personalities and this works with both: at crating time for the vet and at nail clipping time, occasionally medication time, I deliberately adopt an “authoritative stance” in approaching and grabbing them. I am convinced this works. Instead of being timid, or tiptoeing toward them, or acting like they can outsmart the situation, we just smoothly set up the carrier, find them, charge toward wherever they are, say “cmon” and scruff or slide them out from under a bed, lift them from underneath, plop them into the carrier (husband helps hold it in place.) I NEVER show like I’m losing, or think I will lose, or am afraid of claws or whatever. It’s an act I’ve been doing for ten years. This is a very deliberate attitude, and I am certain they sense it and they both go submissive. As I said, they have different personalities and both have fight in them as much as any other cat. But at these times, I don’t “allow” it, and they pick up on that, I just know it. In all these years, not one missed appointment, not one late, not one missed med dose, not one missed nail trimming. It works. They are princesses in charge 99% of their lives. This 1% of the time, I’m the boss.

#64

I have dental fluoride drops that my cats hate. they also can’t tell time. so when they invariably come to scream at me at 3pm when they have always been fed at 5pm, i give them their fluoride drops instead and they are so disgusted and angry that it buys me an hour of peace before they come back to yell at me again.

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